Do Some Video Games Push the Violence Bar too Far?

Are video games becoming too violent? It’s a question that the mainstream media loves to ask on a regular basis, with Bulletstorm most notably being in the hot seat recently. Personally, I don’t mind violence in video games, and nor do I believe that video games inspire people to kill in real-life. But despite all this, is there a point when video games may truly be too violent?

The first time I asked myself this question was back in 2003, upon the release of Manhunt. This was a game that in some ways glorified murder, as you had to take out opponents in ways that video games didn’t utilize before – such as, choking someone to death with a piece of wire. The reason it felt so gruesome wasn’t that it happened, but that you were controlling it.

Since that game’s launch, I didn’t think much of violence in games since then. But the thought re-entered by mind when I saw a trailer last week for Mortal Kombat (2011). Long heralded as being the most violent fighting series in existence, the 2011 iteration of the game takes things to an entirely new level.

During the normal fighting, the game isn’t much more violent than any other fighter out there, but when fatalities are brought into things, there’s only one word that comes to mind, “gratuitous”. Sure, there are decapitations, but what makes this so much more intense is that there’s an “X-ray” mode, where you see through the skin of your opponent as you shatter their bones into a million pieces.

Adding to the fun, there’s another fatality where you can slam your opponent’s head up against a subway train as it whirs past, and another where you shove your opponent’s face into some lava, and then see it coming up through his head and out his eyes after you pull them back out. Whew.

Perhaps this level of violence is common in some movies, but I’m unaware of it. I do know that the Saw series is one of the most gruesome out there, but unfortunately I’ve never seen any of them, so I’m unable to compare. But, regardless of what’s seen in movies, I can’t help but feel like there are some games that just take things a bit too far. I don’t mind violence, but when it’s kicked up a notch like this, I am not even sure I’d be able to bring myself to play it, much less enjoy it.

Before chiming in with your opinion, be sure to check out the same trailer I’m talking about, and afterwards, chime in with your two cents in our thread!